Widow's Perch
'Widow's Perch '''is the central, fictional town in the ''Regents Walk ''comic series. The majority of the story and events transpire in this town, which has many services and municipalities for a city its size. Though it serves as a hub for its satellite towns, Widow's Perch itself a sleepy backwater that economically relies on its lumber trade. It has rebranded itself many times, and in the last few decades it has upgraded its schools, built a small art college, put up a mall, and created a minor league baseball team. Most of this has been financed by its "patriarch," Mr. Lyons. History Founding Eugene McGruff was an American investor born and raised in a poor Irish immigrant family who lived in Pennsylvania. During the expansion to the west, Eugene first settled in Salem shortly after it was made the territorial capital as a self-taught entrepreneur. It is believed that he fell in with a group of Canadian immigrant lumberjacks, and Eugene set out with them and began his own lumber company. Choosing a location in the east within a day's journey of Salem, McGruff Town began as little more than a worker village, and 80% of its small population were lumberjacks or immigrants, many from Canada. Many of Salem and Portland's earliest surviving wooden buildings can trace their roots back to McGruff Lumber Company. In 1870, the village became a true town when it acquired its new name, which was accompanied with what is now a local legend. Many details remain lost, but it is said that over 300 widowed Native Americans from various tribes traveled west through McGruff pass. Treated fairly by the people of then McGruff Town, many of them settled and the population doubled. To date, many native-born citizens can still trace their heritage to a mixed Canadian/Native American bloodline. At some point, following Eugene's passing, the town was renamed to Widow's Perch. First Growth Period Infrastructure The town's primary power source comes from a distant hydroelectric dam on the Willamette river, which also provides it with much of its water. The central landfill is just north of Firetown, which also has recycling facilities for all nearby towns. Widow's Perch chief export and financial bloodline is its lumber industry. A small portion of its product comes from the old mills along the river that still uses the moving water to transport downed trees. The town's stable climate and fertile land have also given it a small farming community, mostly dairy and poultry. Widow's Perch is home to the county's Sheriff's Department, and also has a single inner-city police station. There are five fire stations; two of which are situated near its tree farms. There are multiple clinics and a central hospital, Willamette Mercy General. State Highway 22 runs just north of town and is the primary connection to Salem in the west. The only other major road through town is Highway 226, which runs north/south. Areas of Interest "Big Blue" While the small mountain that is the center of Widow's March State Park is probably the original name source for the town of Widow's Perch, it's now kindly nicknamed "Big Blue" by the residents of town. It's both a place of natural resources in the form of lush forests and the small Hill View Lake (aptly nicknamed "Lake Pond") and recreation, with a popular hiking trail, cabins and camps, and it's notoriously inept attempt at an artist's colony and retreat—and of course teenage make-out central, Perch Point. Big Blue itself is visible from just about every spot in town and was the titular landmark of Chapter 1. Commune Grounds Historic Downtown Widow's Perch has a typical small town center, complete with old roads, preserved buildings, heritage sites, two parks, a founder's statue, and a courthouse. In August, the Heritage Day parade goes through here, just as they have for many decades. Save for a major fire, the historic area has changed little over the years, and generations of Widow's Perch natives return to a familiar sight on any annual visits. There is also a small war memorial in one of the parks, honoring all local veterans since World War I—about fifty in all so far. In 1965, an antiwar protest led by activists from the local commune grounds accidentally started a fire after one of their members tossed a cigarette onto a recently painted public bench. Shortly after igniting, the flames reached a storefront awning and spread quickly. The protestors soon helped the local police that had been keeping them in order evacuate people before firefighters arrived. By the time the fire had been put out, five buildings had been lost, including the original Lumberjack Tavern. All were rebuilt within a year and a plaque on the new Lumberjack Bar commemorates the event. Eugene McGruff Field In 1972, High School Hockey remained the town's only major sport. This changed when Mayor Rachel Dufoe began her first term, and quickly established a Minor League team and their home field. Eugene McGruff field is one of the smallest Minor League stadiums in the nation, and only seats 3,500. The Lumberjacks are a poorly performing team, but remain beloved by their local devotees. Although they are consistent underdogs, they have been known to sometimes pull surprise victories. Whenever they score a home run, it is customary for their fans to shout out "TIMBER!!!" Other Locations Minor locations Community Center Perch Palace Mall With a grand opening that promised renewed commercial opportunities in 1974, the Perch Palace shopping mall had several upscale boutiques, a large food court, multiple fountains, a multiplex movie theater, a combination video rental store/arcade, and its largest store, a JCPenny that provided the latest clothing lines to the town at affordable prices. However, by 1985, average attendance had dropped by half, and only a few high end stores remained. Despite an ongoing slow decline, it is still frequented by younger shoppers and families and is a main source of local commerce. Its dozens of interior blue and pink neon light accents have been left off for years to save on the electric bill, although they still come on during the last week of Christmas shopping. Comet Fire Built in an former barn in 1907, the Comet Fire skating rink is the second oldest in Oregon, next to the one in Oaks Park, Portland. It was a popular attraction and remained largely the same until the 1970's, when it was renovated into a Roller Disco. More recently, it has acquired a dozen old arcade machines that are operated on the side of the rink. With a snack bar serving pizza, chips, and soda, it continues to be a favorite hangout for local teenagers, since there is little else to do for their generation in town. Pastor Stone's Church School System First Presbyterian Located in downtown Widow's Perch, the First Presbyterian church provides basic preschool and kindergarten services and is the primary educational institute for the town's youngest children. Folkville Preschool & Kindergarten Widow's Perch Elementary Located at the oldest school grounds in town, Widow's Perch Elementary has been rebuilt three times. It began as a schoolhouse in the original worker's village to educate their children. In 1895, it was torn down and replaced with a proper, but still small school that served K-8 once the town's first high school was built. It was turned into an elementary school in 1921, and remained as a Gothic revival building until its most recent reconstruction that wrapped up in time for the 1987-1988 school year. Only the previous incarnation's playground remained. With help from Kenneth Lyons' investments, it has become a modern school with up to date computer systems, and is one of the highest rated schools in the county. It is commonly nicknamed (Good Old) "Weep-us". Firetown Elementary Despite its name, Firetown Elementary is located in northern Widow's Perch, just past the river. It once mostly served Firetown children, although many of that town's families still preferred Widow's Perch Elementary. In the 1970's, the school became Kenneth Lyons' first investment project, and he transformed the old, run-down building into a charter school. Although its rating is more or less the same as its fully public counterpart to the south, it is often seen as "that fancy school by the river" to kids who don't attend it. Blue Mountain Elementary Built in the 1950's to fulfill the education need for the town's growing suburbs' children, Blue Mountain Elementary has changed little since its construction. With Widow's Perch Elementary's bus routes not extending to the many neighborhoods in the southeast, many of its children must rely on this overcrowded, outdated school. Kenneth Lyons has aided it little outside of organizing book donations, and the school and its students are the butt of many rival playground jokes. Cavalier School for the Arts and Sciences (CSAS, a relatively new, magnet school, Cavalier Dragons) Eugene McGruff Middle School (downtown, the McGruff St. Bernards, prison like and way over populated) Chief Joseph Junior High (The Kingfishers, located in Firetown and rather small, serving 5-9th grade and always on the verge of being shut down) Widow's Perch High School (The Stallions, located in south Widow's Perch) St. Brigid of Ireland Private School (The Falconers, located in central Firetown) Folk Lore Woodman (only bare details for now) Big Blue Vampires The legend goes that there was a spree of mysterious and identical deaths in the town during the 1870's, each with strange marks on the neck and hands. Suspicion in the small frontier settlement soon turned to vampires, and consequently notorious loner and petty criminal Clive Yeats Harrow. He was accused of being the vampire ringleader when he was supposedly spotted at the scene of another similar death. He was hanged and burned without trial. It is said that the corpses of at least six believed vampires are buried in the woods around Perch Point, and the spirit of Clive haunts those who wander up there at night, seeking revenge. Today, it's questioned whether these deaths even took place and whether or not the vampire legend is a more recent invention coming out of fears during the turn-of-the-century modernization of the town. The only records relating to the whole legend are a census noting the death of Clive Yeats Harrow in 1875 and a daguerreotype of a consumption-stricken man simply labeled "Clive." The legend and these articles are a favorite article of discussion among Widow's Perch historians and schoolchildren alike, and there's seldom a Halloween without a vampire or Harrow themed costume or drink special. A more recent modern mutation of the legend has gone as far as giving Big Blue a vampire harem that the National Guard was sent in to wipe out, only to have both parties eradicated—and in the process turning the vampires into vampire ''ghosts. Kasey's Creek A recent addition to the local childlore, Kasey's Creek serves as an introduction to urban legends. Simply put, in 1959, a teenage girl named Kasey died at a creek—which was then named after her. The story is absurdly light and inane, and it's only meant to scare children with the idea that teenagers can die somewhere and have a location named after them; a cautionary tale indeed that perhaps only serves as a child's first realization of their own mortality. Usually attributed to a small, unnamed tributary near Eugene McGruff Middle School, there is no evidence that any person named Kasey ever died anywhere in its vicinity. Widows' March Gateway to the Underworld A small drainage ditch located in between Warwoman Road and Highway 226, the large, rusting sewer drain has acquired a large collection of typical urban tales over the years, primarily by those that grew up near it. A make out and graffiti spot for teenagers, the drain is only loosely connected to the town's main sewer line anymore. It runs under the highway for about a half mile before it becomes unnavigable. School children are sometimes led to believe that at some point, the tunnels do in fact lead to the underworld. But what teenagers have done to it, and inside of it, are probably worse. Famous Residents Eugene McGruff (died childless) Despite the image of a hearty lumberjack often depicted in his monument, various town signage and lore, the few photographs remaining of him show a slim and well-dressed gentleman. etc etc Dorkus Withnail A wealthy San Francisco widow in 1899, Dorkus Withnail settled in Widow's Perch after several years of travel across the North West—presumably charmed by its small town atmosphere and it's original beautiful landscapes. When not teaching herself to paint the wilderness surrounding Big Blue, Widow Withnail spent her time and money avidly funding public works around town and building the town into what it is today. Dorkus Withnail Valley College and Dorkus Withnail Square and N. Dorkus Withnail Square Park are both named in her honor. Ralph Lyons When adjusting for inflation, Ralph Lyons still has the distinction of being the richest man who has ever called Widow's Perch home. As one of the early Texan oil barons, Ralph was known as particularly cutthroat and was reportedly involved in multiple extortion schemes, though he never faced trial. After making too many enemies, he fled with his son—and suitcases of money—to Oregon and eventually found himself in Widow's Perch. At first thoughtful of how he could use the lumber industry for his own gains, Ralph was instead fascinated by the simple and friendly people in town, and in the end, did not return to his old ways. Before his death, he financed a local, strong bank and invested in the construction of the courthouse that still stands in 1987. He never got to see his mansion, the Blue Sky Manor, reach completion. It is still the largest residence in the county. Mortimer Lyons Taking over his father's legacy, property, and money at the young age of 32, Mortimer wonder how to best use his family's remaining cash. Although his father had spent half of it, Mortimer remained the richest man in town, and his father's investments were beginning to see a return. In the 1920's, he travelled for a year going up and down the west coast, spending a month alone in Los Angeles, where he became enthralled by the art deco style and the roaring cultural scene. He made several wealthy contacts and brought attention to the possibilities of turning Widow's Perch into a resort town. Upon his return, he transformed the sleepy valley into a bustling boom town. Briefly. After only a tenth of a grand hotel resort that rested under Big Blue was built, the Great Depression hit, and every intrigued investor returned to Los Angeles to manage their dwindling finances. The Lyons Hotel Resort's frame was left to rot, and Mortimer spent much of his life locked away in his residence, holding out for another chance at leaving his mark on the town. He had two daughters and a son, Kenneth, who would later take his place. Although nothing remains of his resort, his vision for a renovated downtown came to fruition, and resulted in the modernization of many of its buildings until the town changed again in the 1970's. Kenneth Lyons (current patriarch) Mayor Rachel Dufoe (longest serving mayor in town history) Often mocked as Mayor Doofus, Mayor Rachel Dufoe has nonetheless led the town of Widow's Perch for 17 years in 1987. While not a totally inept politician, over the years her multiple failed revitalization projects for the area have left their mark on her reputation. At different times in the town's history, she has tried to attract industry (outside of lumber ) through attempts to make the town an artist's colony, a commercial hub, a hiking destination, and even a retirement community. Unfortunately for her, the town simply isn't big enough and too close to other major Oregon cities that none of these initiatives carry much success and there is often a mass groan from the citizens of Widow's Perch at the phrase, "a new revitalization project..." Luceille Monroe/Sister Damasus (founder of St. Brigid) Believed to be a former mistress of wealthy Ralph Lyons when she was young, Luceille later devoted her life to the Catholic Church and to representing the Irish community of Widow's Perch and its surrounding areas. She eventually left her entire past behind and became a nun, changing her name to Sister Damasus. Despite this, she had no issues with pressuring her former lover to provide funding for a Catholic school to serve the needs of the Irish in the community, to be called St. Brigid of Ireland Private High School. She is its founder and served it from the sidelines and as a teacher until her death in 1956. Those who remember her often describe her as a battle axe, but she is recognized as a major benefactor of Firetown. Today, the school remains private, but has become far less rigid in structure and many of the students who attend have no Catholic background and attend for the better quality of the education there. Clive Yeats Harrow Little is known about this mysterious town figure outside of his widely spread legend, his name on a 1875 census, and an old photograph that may or may not be him. While many believe he lives on as a ghost haunting the Perch Point hiking trail, scholars of the town suggest he was simply a businessman living in the area and working in the lumber industry when he died of tuberculosis in 1875. But that's not as much fun. Nearby Towns Firetown One or two others, real or otherwise Salem (largest nearby city) Trivia Gallery Category:Locations